Amble
Encyclopedia
Amble is a town
, civil parish and seaport on the North Sea
coast, in Northumberland
, England
. It lies at the mouth of the River Coquet
, and the nearby Coquet Island
is clearly visible from its beaches and harbour. The civil parish, which has town status, is called Amble by the Sea, and has a population of 6,044.
There are two suggested origins of the place-name Amble. Paul Younger of Newcastle University favours a Gaelic origin from "Am Béal", meaning "the river mouth", while Nottingham University's Institute for Name-Studies quotes (in their Key to English Place Names) an Old English origin of "Amma's/Anna's bile", meaning "Amma's/Anna's headland".
The sacking of such close venerable places as Lindisfarne (Holy Island) was the beginning of an Anglo Saxon then Danish occupation of the Amble area. The nature of Northumbrians is inextricably linked to this foreign impact. The accent and general tonal quality is undeniably of that which the settling immigrants brought with them.
Like all the eastern coastline of Britain the history of its people is intrinsically linked to its continental incursions.
of coal
. Other industries, such as ship building and repair on an area known as the Braid, now a greenfield site with a modern marina, and sea fishing
, expanded with the growth of the town, although traditional Northumbrian fishing vessels such as coble
s have sheltered in the natural harbour for centuries
previously. A part of the harbour wall suffered a partial collapse in the late summer of 2008 due to flooding of the River Coquet.
Today, the collieries in Northumberland are all closed (the last, Ellington
, closed in 2005), and the railway no longer serves Amble. However, the fishing industry survives, albeit with a somewhat reduced numbers of vessels, as does a small marine industry, mainly concentrated around the construction and repair of yacht
s and other pleasure craft
. A small industrial estate is located to the southwest of the town, whose clients include vehicle repairs
and telecommunication
s companies.
Tourism forms an important sector of the town's economy
- part of the harbour has been redeveloped into a marina
, and a caravan park called Amble Links, which boasts 5 Star status, guest houses and B&B
s exist to serve visitors to the Northumberland coast.
was heading on her last voyage to the breaker's yard at Rosyth
and the Amble town council (Amble Urban District Council) sent a telegram to the ship saying "still the finest ship on the seas". The Mauretania replied with greetings "to the last and friendliest port in England".
, based in Morpeth
. Amble was in the former Alnwick district based in the town of Alnwick
. Many in Amble thought this arrangement was unfair because for two towns of very similar populations (Alnwick 8,000/ Amble 6,100) more money and attention was being spent in Alnwick.
and the North of England, Amble experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters - The nearest MetOffice weather station for which average's are available is Boulmer, about 9 miles to the north.
This road is the old corn trading road which runs from Hexham in south west Northumberland through Cramlington, Bedlington, Guide Post, Ashington and Ellington. The road continues through more open coastal areas towards Amble and continues approximately 6 miles (10 km) to the north to Alnmouth, then winds on to Alnwick.
Amble also lies near to the A1, (A1[M1]), providing easy access to nearest city Newcastle upon Tyne
(30 miles (48.3 km) south), Gateshead
[Metro Centre] (30 miles (48.3 km) south) and to the Scottish
capital Edinburgh
(80 miles (128.7 km) north).
railway link between Edinburgh (journey time approximately 1:10) and London
(journey time approximately 3:45) runs via the nearby Alnmouth for Alnwick Station
or Widdrington Station
.
lies around an hours drive-time away from Amble, and provides nineteen daily flights to London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted
, and London City
), with regular flights to other UK centres. The airport also operates regular flights to many Europe
an destinations, along with destinations in Africa
and North America
.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
, civil parish and seaport on the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coast, in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies at the mouth of the River Coquet
River Coquet
The River Coquet runs through the county of Northumberland, England, discharging into the North Sea on the east coast of England at Amble. Warkworth Castle is built in a loop of the Coquet....
, and the nearby Coquet Island
Coquet Island, England
Coquet Island is a small island of about , situated off Amble on the Northumberland coast, northeast England.The Island is owned by the Duke of Northumberland...
is clearly visible from its beaches and harbour. The civil parish, which has town status, is called Amble by the Sea, and has a population of 6,044.
There are two suggested origins of the place-name Amble. Paul Younger of Newcastle University favours a Gaelic origin from "Am Béal", meaning "the river mouth", while Nottingham University's Institute for Name-Studies quotes (in their Key to English Place Names) an Old English origin of "Amma's/Anna's bile", meaning "Amma's/Anna's headland".
History
Amble's origins are connectected with the early development of the town as a destination for continental invaders. Geographically Amble is close to the European coastline. Even in the days of vessels that depended on sail (e.g. Vikings) the other Germanic tribes of Europe were aware of its natural resources of fish and fertile land capable of intensive agriculture. With the political departure of the Romans in the 5th century the land lay close, tempting, and assailable.The sacking of such close venerable places as Lindisfarne (Holy Island) was the beginning of an Anglo Saxon then Danish occupation of the Amble area. The nature of Northumbrians is inextricably linked to this foreign impact. The accent and general tonal quality is undeniably of that which the settling immigrants brought with them.
Like all the eastern coastline of Britain the history of its people is intrinsically linked to its continental incursions.
The town
Amble grew in the nineteenth century as collieries were opened, and its then newly built railway links to the Northumberland coalfields, made it an ideal centre for the transport and exportExport
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
. Other industries, such as ship building and repair on an area known as the Braid, now a greenfield site with a modern marina, and sea fishing
Fishing industry
The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
, expanded with the growth of the town, although traditional Northumbrian fishing vessels such as coble
Coble
The coble is a type of open traditional fishing boat which developed on the North East coast of England. The southern-most examples occur around Hull The coble is a type of open traditional fishing boat which developed on the North East coast of England. The southern-most examples occur around Hull...
s have sheltered in the natural harbour for centuries
Century
A century is one hundred consecutive years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages .-Start and end in the Gregorian Calendar:...
previously. A part of the harbour wall suffered a partial collapse in the late summer of 2008 due to flooding of the River Coquet.
Today, the collieries in Northumberland are all closed (the last, Ellington
Ellington, Northumberland
Ellington is a small village on the coast of Northumberland, England. Ellington is four miles from Ashington, six miles from Morpeth and twenty miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne....
, closed in 2005), and the railway no longer serves Amble. However, the fishing industry survives, albeit with a somewhat reduced numbers of vessels, as does a small marine industry, mainly concentrated around the construction and repair of yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s and other pleasure craft
Pleasure craft
A pleasure craft is a boat used for personal, family, and sometimes sportsmanlike recreation. Typically such watercraft are motorized and are used for holidays, for example on a river, lake, canal or waterway. Pleasure craft are normally kept at a marina...
. A small industrial estate is located to the southwest of the town, whose clients include vehicle repairs
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
and telecommunication
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
s companies.
Tourism forms an important sector of the town's economy
Economic system
An economic system is the combination of the various agencies, entities that provide the economic structure that defines the social community. These agencies are joined by lines of trade and exchange along which goods, money etc. are continuously flowing. An example of such a system for a closed...
- part of the harbour has been redeveloped into a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
, and a caravan park called Amble Links, which boasts 5 Star status, guest houses and B&B
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
s exist to serve visitors to the Northumberland coast.
The Friendliest Port
Amble holds the title 'Friendliest Port'. This derives from the 1930s when the RMS MauretaniaRMS Mauretania (1906)
RMS Mauretania was an ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend, Tyne and Wear for the British Cunard Line, and launched on 20 September 1906. At the time, she was the largest and fastest ship in the world. Mauretania became a favourite among...
was heading on her last voyage to the breaker's yard at Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
and the Amble town council (Amble Urban District Council) sent a telegram to the ship saying "still the finest ship on the seas". The Mauretania replied with greetings "to the last and friendliest port in England".
Governance
On 1 April 2009, the local government structure of Northumberland was reorganised. The six former districts were combined with the county to form the unitary authority of NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, based in Morpeth
Morpeth, Northumberland
Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
. Amble was in the former Alnwick district based in the town of Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
. Many in Amble thought this arrangement was unfair because for two towns of very similar populations (Alnwick 8,000/ Amble 6,100) more money and attention was being spent in Alnwick.
Climate
As with the rest of the British IslesBritish Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
and the North of England, Amble experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters - The nearest MetOffice weather station for which average's are available is Boulmer, about 9 miles to the north.
Road
Amble town is situated on the A1068 that runs along the north-eastern coastline.This road is the old corn trading road which runs from Hexham in south west Northumberland through Cramlington, Bedlington, Guide Post, Ashington and Ellington. The road continues through more open coastal areas towards Amble and continues approximately 6 miles (10 km) to the north to Alnmouth, then winds on to Alnwick.
Amble also lies near to the A1, (A1[M1]), providing easy access to nearest city Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
(30 miles (48.3 km) south), Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
[Metro Centre] (30 miles (48.3 km) south) and to the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
capital Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
(80 miles (128.7 km) north).
Rail
The East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
railway link between Edinburgh (journey time approximately 1:10) and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(journey time approximately 3:45) runs via the nearby Alnmouth for Alnwick Station
Alnmouth railway station
Alnmouth for Alnwick is a station on the East Coast Main Line about one mile from Alnmouth in Hipsburn, Northumberland, northern England. It is 10–15 minutes by road to the town of Alnwick.-History:...
or Widdrington Station
Widdrington railway station
Widdrington railway station is a railway station serving the villages of Stobswood and Widdrington Station in Northumberland, England.It is located on the East Coast Main Line, although in the the only trains calling at Widdrington are one northbound and two southbound local services operated on...
.
Air
Newcastle AirportNewcastle Airport
Newcastle International Airport is located in Woolsington in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, north-west of the city centre. In 2010 it was the 11th busiest airport in the United Kingdom....
lies around an hours drive-time away from Amble, and provides nineteen daily flights to London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
, and London City
London City Airport
London City Airport is a single-runway airport. It principally serves the financial district of London and is located on a former Docklands site, east of the City of London, opposite the London Regatta Centre, in the London Borough of Newham in east London. It was developed by the engineering...
), with regular flights to other UK centres. The airport also operates regular flights to many Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an destinations, along with destinations in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Notable people
- Phil AireyPhil AireyPhilip Airey is an English footballer, currently playing for Premier League club Newcastle United as a striker. Airey has also previously played for Scottish Premier League club Hibernian.-Club career:...
(born 1991), Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
footballer - Jimmy Allen (1913–1979), footballerFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
- John AngusJohn Angus (footballer)John Angus is a retired English footballer who played his entire club career as a right back for Burnley between 1956 and 1972, helping them win the Football League title in 1960...
(born 1938), BurnleyBurnley F.C.Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
and EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
footballer - John ShielJohn ShielJohn Shiel is a former professional footballer, who played for North Shields, Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town. He was born in Seahouses. He is the oldest living former Newcastle United player.-References:...
(born 1917) footballer, known as Jack Shiel, oldest surviving Newcastle player - Sir James Calvert SpenceJames Calvert SpenceJames Calvert Spence MC & Bar , was a paediatrician who was a pioneer in the field of social paediatrics.-Early life:...
(1892–1954), nutritionistNutritionistA nutritionist is a person who advises on matters of food and nutrition impacts on health. Different professional terms are used in different countries, employment settings and contexts — some examples include: nutrition scientist, public health nutritionist, dietitian-nutritionist, clinical...
and paediatrician - Samuel Johnson MBE (1922–1994). NZ national athletic coach.
External links
- The History of Amble and District
- Amble Tourist Information Centre
- Photographs of Amble
- The former Amble branch railway
- Northumberland Communities
- Tide times for Amble from the BBC and Easytide.